Andy Sullivan continued his encouraging start to 2018 with an opening 67 at the NBO Oman Open and is hopeful his form can carry him all the way to the Ryder Cup.
The Englishman won three times and finished second at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai in 2015 as he played his way onto the European Team that was defeated by the United States at Hazeltine National.
Sullivan finished 62nd in the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex last season and admits some complacency did play its part after back-to-back top 20 finishes in 2015 and 2016.
He achieved just two top tens in 2017 but has worked hard over the winter and after four made cuts including a top ten at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic to start the year, he is determined to get back to the top.
"I think it was just a bit of complacency," he said of his drop in form. "I got to the Ryder Cup pretty early and achieved everything in really quick time and you just don't realise how hard you have to work to maintain these things. I'd be guilty of that and of not quite performing how I wanted to.
"Since DP World we've put the hard work in and it's nice to see it coming back to where it was so early. I didn't expect it to happen quite so quickly.
"Once you've played one Ryder Cup you don't want to miss another one, it's so special. My first one was in America and obviously we got humped but the whole experience is so awesome, being a part of that team, you just don't want to miss another one.
"One of my goals is to try and force my way into that team. I know it's going to be difficult and I've left myself a lot to do but that's where I want to be again."
The 30 year old made an army of fans on the European Tour with his laid-back attitude and generally chirpy demeanour and after 18 months where he admits it was difficult to stay quite so positive, he is happy to be smiling again.
"The start of this year the game has come back," he said. "I've worked really hard over the seven weeks I had off after DP World and it's nice just to be back at the right end of the leaderboard and to show signs so early on in the season.
Once you've played one Ryder Cup you don't want to miss another one, it's so special - Andy Sullivan
"I don't think I panicked. I believe in my ability and I know what I can do on the golf course so it's just about me going out there and applying myself in the right way and I haven't done that for a couple of years.
"Off the golf course things have been so much more solid. My fiancée has been absolutely fantastic, she's been an integral part of the team and really helped me kick on and achieve what I'm doing now.
"My management, my coaches, my caddie, they've stuck by me and told me what I need to do and I've just knuckled down and done it and it's great that it's finally coming back to where it was. Hopefully we can get out there and start seeing the smile on the face instead of the grimace.
"It's easy to smile when you're playing well and for those few years I was playing well it was easy to smile. I've found it a bit more difficult the last 18 months but it's definitely on the way back and I'm starting to enjoy my golf again which is what golf is about."
